Missing you
by Mariku-san
Summary: It's been two and half years since that fateful day that Naruto and Sasuke fought. The blonde sits in his room pondering past memories. first chapter summary of show. Complete
1. Prologue

Prologue

Deep in the fire country, there was a village called Konohagakure. In this village hidden in the leaves, there lived a young boy named Uzumaki Naruto. He was a young boy, who was made orphan when he was born. But sadly there was another side to his story that made him even lonelier. Trapped inside of him at birth was a demon, a nine-tailed fox, which was commonly known as the Kyuubi. The fourth Hokage sealed it within him in an attempt to save the village. He had hoped that the people of his village would come to respect Naruto, and treat him like a hero. But instead, the villagers turned away from the young blonde, treating him as an outsider, regardless of him being one of their own.

But as the boy got older, his schoolteacher, Iruka, began to take care of him as a father or brother would. Then when he turned 13, he got a pair of friends that meant the world to him as well as another adult who cared for him. One was his longtime crush, Haruno Sakura. The other became his best friend and rival, Uchiha Sasuke.

They trained together as ninja do, going on missions together, having dinner as a group. It was like a new family for Naruto, which made him happy. There also was another adult who loved Naruto very much, and he was the Third Hokage, Sarutobi. He treated Naruto as his own grandchild. One day the Third died, but the small family continued on, trying to be happy without their grandfather.

Sakura and Sasuke made Naruto happy, and he wouldn't have traded that feeling for anything else in the world. He was so happy that he finally had people who loved him, and wasn't afraid of him. He had hoped the group would stay together forever.

But as the trio was almost always together, there was a darkness silently pulling them apart. Much like Naruto, Sasuke was very much alone. When he was young, someone murdered everyone in his clan, leaving the young child alone. Because of this loneliness, Sasuke and Naruto grew a silent bond of respect for one another, and friendship. But this did not stop the darkness from growing between the trio. No, perhaps because of the darkness that lived in Sasuke's heart, there would be no true peace among the small family ever again.

Soon a woman came, taking the place of the old man. Naruto grew to respect this woman named Tsunade, who became the fifth Hokage. She was strong and showed a silent respect to the boy who swore he'd become the next Hokage. Hatake Kakashi, Naruto's current teacher, smiled and told the blonde that he needed to train hard in order to obtained his goal. But there was another student that had a goal in mind.

Sasuke began a desire to be stronger, to be able to defeat a man who took everything he knew away from him, his brother Uchiha Itachi. Naruto tried long and hard to convince Sasuke not to leave the village in search of power. The two fought, and in the end, Naruto lost the battle. He could feel his heart breaking each time his best friend punched him. It was though he was dying on the inside.

It has been two and half years since that day, and now Naruto is older and stronger. He hopes that he will be able to bring his friend back, and he vows to do so whatever means possible. Even if that means breaking his arms and legs, to drag his friend back. Naruto loved Sasuke very much, and would do anything for his friend, if he only asked.

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	2. Naruto's POV

Naruto laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling, both arms placed behind his head. He wore his pajama's, his sleeping cap on top of his head. His hair was slightly longer now, the blonde spiked bangs covering a bit of his eyes. Breathing softly, the blonde just laid in silence, his legs crossed at the ankle. The room was covered in a light blue glow as the moon shined brightly in his room. It was the same way it was two and half years ago, though a bit dusty. He knew he was gone for a long time, he just didn't know entirely how long it really was.

Training with one of the three Sannins, Jiraiya, or as Naruto called him Ero-sennin, the blonde hoped to gain the strength he would need to bring his friend home. He promised Sakura-chan with the nice guy pose, that he'd bring Sasuke back, and he had every intention of keeping that promise. Rolling over onto his side, Naruto stared out the window, his blue eyes jumping from house to house, staring at the various windows and light poles. He soon sat up, taking his sleeping cap off and tossing it on the bed.

Getting up from the bed, Naruto walked over to the slide door and stood out on the balcony, enjoying the light breeze that usually came with the coming fall. His hands reached onto the railing, feeling the cool metal against his hot skin. Soon resting his elbows on the metal railing, he sighed, leaning a bit against it. Blue eyes fell, half lidded in thought as memories played in his head.

_There was a vision of two boys eating dinner together in a hurry, as though trying to finish before the other, while a young girl with pink hair sat back in slight disgust. The two boys looked at one another, glaring, sparks flying between the two. "Seconds please!" They shouted in harmony, only to cough and regurgitate the food from their stomachs._

This caused a chuckle to fall from Naruto's lips. Though they were fighting against one another at the time, he and Sasuke were friends despite what others thought. Standing up straight, the blonde exhaled, a light puff of smoke falling from his lips. It was fall, and the nights got colder as winter neared. Naruto wasn't use to the snow, but he loved it when he had friends to play with. Another memory came to mind.

_Naruto snickered as he and two other clones got snowballs in their hands. Team seven was sent to be bodyguards for the actress who played Princess Gale, Naruto's favorite actress of all time. The movie shoot was set in the snow country, and this only caused mischief. While things were calm on the set, Naruto often attacked the rest of the team with snowballs to keep himself entertained. Sneaking up behind Sasuke, the clones and Naruto stood up and shouted to Sasuke gaining his attention. As the Uchiha teen turned around, three snowballs hit him square in the face, knocking him over._

The blonde chuckled a bit more, hugging himself as the winter chill began setting in. A smile set on his face as he felt the wind ruffle his blonde spikes gently, like a caring mother would. Naruto hugged himself a little tighter before heading back into his room, sliding the door shut and locking it. He had a day ahead of him. After all, he'd have his first mission since coming back to the village in two and half years. Hopefully it would be something exciting. If he got a D ranked mission, he'd let old lady Tsunade have it. No way was he going to do child's work. He was nearly 16.

Slipping back into his bed, stuffing his sleeping cap on his head, Naruto snuggled comfortably into his bed. He thought of better days, and memories as he drifted off to sleep, smiling gently as he did.

Outside of Naruto's slide door was a young man, dressed in white and black, a purple ribbon tied around his waist, with a sword sheath in the back, twisted up with the bow. Dark hair ruffled in the wind, as fingertips touched the glass gently, his dark eyes staring longingly at the sleeping blonde who laid curled up on the blonde. As he inhaled and exhaled, a puff of smoke fell from his lips, and fogging up the glass. A gentle smile stretched across the pale face, happy to see that his friend had finally come home. Kissing his fingertips, he touched the glass again before jumping back and teleporting elsewhere.


	3. Sasuke's POV

_On the last chapter:_

_Outside of Naruto's slide door was a young man, dressed in white and black, a purple ribbon tied around his waist, with a sword sheath in the back, twisted up with the bow. Dark hair ruffled in the wind, as fingertips touched the glass gently, his dark eyes staring longingly at the sleeping blonde who lay curled up on the blonde. As he inhaled and exhaled, a puff of smoke fell from his lips, fogging up the glass. A gentle smile stretched across the pale face, happy to see that his friend had finally come home. Kissing his fingertips, he touched the glass again before jumping back and teleporting elsewhere._

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Long black hair flew wildly in the wind, as a slender figure hopped from tree to tree, the wind whistling in his ears. Dark eyes stayed focusing in front, keeping a watchful eye for anyone that might get in his way. Hearing his heart pounding in his ears, as if singing with the wind, the man who ran from his home mentally scolded himself for briefly returning. He wasn't allowed to come back, even if to visit. All he knew was at this village, and anything could be used to bring him back. But the teen's resolved never changed for his thirst for power was greater.

Uchiha Sasuke, the youngest son of the chief of police when the Uchiha clan still thrived, felt an empty void where his heart should be. Science told him that the heart was just an organ, that it had no emotions. Those things were merely chemicals that your brain produced as your senses reacted to all that was around the body. Even his current sensei, Orochimaru, told him that. The stupid medical assistant to that snake bastard told him that. So why did his heart hurt each time he thought about Konoha?

Sasuke continued to travel quickly, his presence barely a shadow as he neared the gates to exit the village hidden in the leaves. He was able to sneak in easily enough, so why would leaving be any different? Soon he was past the borders, jumping from tree branch to tree branch as he made his way back to the Sannin's hidden base. Orochimaru would be angry should he learn his future vessel was disobedient.

As the raven-haired male traveled, nearing the exit borders to the fire territory, his mind flashed back to when he visited Naruto, snuggled up soundly in his bed. Why had he returned just to catch a glimpse of the blonde? Why was it so important that he visit him? _Why bother if you're just going to be like some pervert, watching from the shadows, peeking through windows?_ He asked himself. Of course his "heart" knew the answer. But the heart was just an organ, how could it really feel?

'_Because you miss him, that's why._' A voice finally replied. '_You miss that stupid grin of his, and you miss his goofy laugh.'_ The inner Sasuke chuckled. '_You miss that dobe of yours.'_

"He isn't mine." Sasuke said out loud, his voice falling to the whistling wind as he flew through the air, his silhouette dancing on the grass underneath. Landing back in the bushes, he stopped and stood firmly on a tree, turning around to face the direction he had just come from. It was another 4 hours before he would be back in Sound territory. Thankfully he was sent on a mission, and could the extra time he had to sneak a peek at his former friend.

'_He isn't yours because you made it that way. You know he loved you. Heck he still might.' _Again the inner Sasuke spoke the words his 'heart' couldn't.

"No, it's better this way. I can't have anyone in my way if I plan to kill Itachi." Sasuke shook his head, trying his best to shake his thoughts.

'You're doing it again, Uchiha. Don't think of that! Kakashi told you that revenge is meaningless. Why go through that hurt, when you have people waiting for you back home?!'

"Don't start. You were in this with me in the beginning. Don't go changing your mind." Sasuke jumped back into the smooth groove he once started, taking flight back into the trees, jumping effortlessly tree to tree, traveling slightly faster than before to make up for lost time. If he was later than 3 hours to the village, Orochimaru would suspect something, and that was something the teen didn't want.

While he traveled, the teen recalled on the many occasions he and Naruto played. Sure they were rivals, but at the same time, they were best friends, always working well with one another, never giving up on the other. Always pushing the other past their limits. It was a perfect relationship, but one that Sasuke had to break. He needed to in order to achieve his dream.

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FLASHBACK

"_Hey, Sasuke!" Shouted a young blonde, waving an arm up in the air as his loud voice carried in the air. He laughed as he ran, nearly tripping over a rock in the process._

_Turning around, Uchiha Sasuke kept his hands in his short pockets as usual, his bored expression pressed permanently on his pale skin. Dark eyes watched the bubbly blonde run over, panting as he laughed. "What do you want?" His voice was slightly deep and monotoned, as though the boredom lingered in his voice as well as face._

"_Wanna go have ramen together? I invited Sakura-chan, but she said no as usual. Iruka-sensei is still busy at the Academy and I can't find Kakashi-sensei anywhere. I don't mind going alone, but I figured I'd ask you." Naruto smiled, placing his hands behind his head, his foot tapping at the ground in his usual fashion. "So do ya wanna?"_

_Sasuke eyed the blonde for a moment. Shrugging with a slight head tilt to the right, the raven-haired teen earned a shout of excitement from Naruto, causing the two to walk side by side towards Naruto's favorite restaurant, Ichiraku's Ramen Shop._

_A few moments passed by in silence as the two teammates walked together. "Hey, Sasuke?" Asked the blonde, not sure why he was being quiet. Getting a grunt as a response, the blonde continued on with his question. "You do know you're my best friend, right?"_

"_Best friend, huh?" Sasuke repeated, looking straight as they neared the shop. "Since when?"_

"_Dunno. But you are." Naruto answered honestly. He wasn't sure when the teen became his best friend, he just did. Wasn't that how things were? You didn't decide who became your best friend, they just naturally did. Sure Sakura was his friend too, but for some reason Sasuke was always more important to him. "Hey, Sasuke?"_

"_What now?" Said the drone-bored voice, tittering on the edge of irritation._

"_You're not gonna leave us, are you? To go with that snake guy?" Naruto's voice sounded serious and afraid, as though he wasn't sure what kind of reply he was aiming for._

"_Who knows?" Was all Sasuke said, pulling back the small curtain to the shop. Naruto stopped, resting his arms down, his blue eyes staring back at Sasuke. This began to unnerve the Uchiha, who ultimately sighed in frustration. "You going in or not, dobe?"_

_Shaking his head, the blonde walked in, taking a seat on the many stools there. It seemed once ramen was placed in front of him, he couldn't focus on anything else._

END FLASHBACK

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Before long, the sun rose to greet Sasuke as he just barely made it to Orochimaru's hidden lair. His memories took him far, and the teen was surprised he didn't get hurt or lost on the way. Perhaps his feet naturally took him to his new home, not needing much guidance there. Turning back in the direction where Konohagakure was, the teen sighed as he felt the warm tingle of the sun touching his pale flesh. Turning to greet the sun now, Sasuke smiled at it warmingly. Seeing the sun always reminded him of Naruto.

'_I loved you, Naruto. I always considered you my best friend. But I spared your life on a whim; because I didn't want Itachi to have the satisfaction of knowing I did things his_ _way.'_ His final thoughts to a friend who couldn't hear a word he said. Sasuke made his way down the steps into the lair where Kabuto, pushing his glasses up with his index finger, greeted him.

"You're late," came cold empty words.

"Whatever."


	4. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Back in Konoha….

Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto were headed towards the Hokage's office, when the blonde turned around, looking towards the main gates.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her green eyes watching her teammate carefully. Naruto was older now, and much stronger. But there seemed to be a slight distance in his blue eyes.

"Nothing. I just thought I heard someone say my name." Naruto looked forward, pulling his hands behind his head as he walked beside Kakashi who seemed ever so involved with his latest Ichi Ichi book.

A large hawk flew overhead, heading towards the Hokage's office, gaining the sudden attention of the Jounin. "Hmm? That's a sand village messenger." He muttered, though it was barely audible.

Soon the trio made it to the office, just in time to get a new mission.


End file.
